Doorlatch



K. BRAINERD Jan. 16, 1934.

DOORLATCH Filed July 20, 1933 B Y a "42:5 :2 TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 16,1934- UNITED STATES PATEN'Il OFFICE DOORLATOH York Application July 20,1933. Serial No. 681,297

5 Claims.

The invention relates to door latches such as are used, for example, oncupboards, cabinets, and the like. An object of the invention is toprovide a simple and satisfactory door latch of this character which maybe used indiscriminate- 1y on either right hand or left hand doorswithout any alteration or change in the latch whatsoever.

Another object is the provision of such a right and left hand latchwhich is simple and satisfactory in use, and particularly one which canbe unlatched by a simple pulling movement, without the necessity ofturning or twisting a knob or the like.

A further object is the provision of such a latch of simple and sturdyconstruction, which is not likely to get out of order, which can bemanufactured easily and relatively economically, and which is neat andattractive in appearance.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a door showing applied thereto alatch constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the latch applied to an offset door,showing them in normal closed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the latch in open position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the latch applied to a doorof the flush type;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 2, with the door and doorjamb in horizontal section;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of the latch itself and a fragment ofthe door, with the keeper removed for greater clarity, and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Certain latches capable of being used on either right hand or left handdoors have heretofore been proposed, but have been open to objections ofone kind or another. In one such latch, certain parts of the latch mustbe changed to adapt it from a right hand latch to a left hand latch, orvice versa. In right and left hand latches of another type, the latch iscontrolled by a knob or handle which must be turned, so that the door isless easy to open than when the latch is operated by a handle of thelever type which can be given an outward pull to unlatch the door and atany way to adapt it from a right hand latch to a left hand latch or viceversa, and in which the latch is operated by a simple outward pull on ahandle of the lever type, so that the same movement of the hand whichunlatches the door will also serve to open it.

There is shown in Fig. 1 a door 10 mounted by means of the hinges 11 ona frame or jamb 12. The door either may be of the flush type or may beoffset to project from the surface of the frame or jamb.

The drawing illustrates a latch constructed in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention, including a base 15 of metal orthe like having two ears or brackets 16 and 17 upstanding therefromsubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the door 10. The base 15 issecured to the door by any suitable means such as the screws 18. Theportions 15, 16, and 17 may conveniently be formed from a single pieceof sheet metal, and together they constitute a bracket on which anoscillating handle member is mounted.

The handle member is indicated in general by the numeral 20 and isformed preferably from a single piece of sheet metal stamped or pressedto have a broad smooth and slightly curved outer surface 21, sideflanges 22 and 23 depending from the portion 21, and an arm 24 extendinga substantial distance inwardly from the flange 23 toward the door. Thehandle member is mounted for oscillation on the ears 16 and 17 by meansof a pivot 25 which passes through the ears near their outer ends andthrough the flanges 22 and 23 of the handle member. It is to be notedespecially that this pivot, which forms the axis about which the handlemember oscillates, extends in a direction substantially parallel to theplane of the door.

When viewed from one position it will be seen that the handle member maybe described as T-shaped. The portions 21, 22, and 23 form the cross baror top of the T, while the arm 24 forms the vertical bar of the T. Thepivot 25 is near the junction of the arms of the T. When thepivot is inits usual horizontal position on a vertical door as shown in Fig. 1, forexample, the handle portions 21, 22, and 23 form an arm extendingupwardly from the pivot and terminating at 28,

and another arm extending downwardly from the pivot and terminating at29.

The extension 24 carries a latch member 30 in the form of a lug or pinpermanently secured thereto as by riveting, and extending laterallytherefrom for cooperation with a keeper 31 mounted on a base 32attached'by screws or the like to the door jamb or frame 12. In order toadapt the latch for use either with flush doors or ofiset doors, thekeeper preferably has a plu= rality of notches therein. For example,there is shown one notch 33 in which the latch pin 30 may engage whenthe door is offset or'projects' from the jamb as in Figs. 2 and 3, andanother notch 34. in which the latch pin may engage when the door is ofthe flush type shown in Fig. 4.

Suitable resilient means is provided for holding the handle member in anormal neutral position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, but permittingit to be oscillated in either direction from that position to unlatchthe door. This resilient retaining means may comprise, for example, thecoiled tension spring 40 (Fig. '7) having one end attached to an ear 41formed on the flange 22 of the handle member and the other end hookedthrough a hole in the base 15.

One of the ears on the base, such as the ear 17, is provided withabutment portions 45 for engagement with the under surface of the part21 of the handle when the handle is rocked or oscillated, to limit theextent of oscillation. Fig. 3 illustrates one of these abutments 45 inengagement with the handle to limit its motion.

In use, the base 15 is attached to the door adjacent its free edge sothat the latch pin 30 projects over the edge of the door for cooperationwith the keeper 31, which is attached to the jamb close to the edge ofthe door. When the door is closed, the latch pin engages in one or theother of the notches 38 and 34 of the keeper, depending on whether thedoor is offset or is flush with the jamb.

To open the door, a persons fingers are placed between the door and thelower arm of the handle, and are pulled outwardly away from the door.Contact with the downwardly extending arm of the handle causes thehandle to swing in a clockwise direction about its pivot 25, when viewedas in Fig. 2, so that the handle is shifted from the normal neutralposition shown in this figure to the position shown in Fig. 3, and thelatch pin 30 is lowered to withdraw it from the notch in the keeper,which is preferably always placed above the pin. This releases thelatch, and allows the door to be opened. The outward pull on the lowerarm of the handle may be continued in order to open the door after ithas been unlatched.

If the door is hinged on the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 1, itis obvious that the latch is simply turned upside down from the positionshown in Figs, 1 and 2, so that the latch pin 30 projects leftwardlyfrom the left edge of the door. The latch is then operated in exactlythe same manner, the keeper being placed preferably above the latch pinas before, and the latch being unlatched by pulling on the downwardlyextending arm of the handle, which is the same arm that extends upwardlywhen the latch is applied on the opposite edge of the door. Thus nochange whatever is necessary in the latch, and it can be applied simplyand easily to the door no matter whether the door is a right hand or aleft hand door. The latch is sturdy, compact, and

' of neat appearance, and it can be readily operated at all times, evenby a person having fingers which are slippery on account of being wet,greasy, or soapy.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to beunderstood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number ofways. This application is therefore not to be limited to the precisedetails described, but is intended to cover all variations andmodifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention or the.scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A door latch for use without alteration on either right hand or lefthand doors, comprising a. support secured to a door, and oscillatingmeans pivotally connected to said support for oscillation in either oftwo opposite directions from a normal position, about an axis spacedfrom and substantially parallel to the plane of the door, saidoscillating means including a laterally extending member for cooperationwith a keeper and a pair of oppositely extending substantiallysymmetrical handle portions readily accessible for oscillating saidoscillating means to release said laterally extending member from thekeeper.

2. A door latch for use on either right hand or left hand doors,comprising a bracket to be secured to a door, a handle member pivotallyconnected to said bracket for oscillation through a substantial distancein either of two opposite directions from a central normal position,about a pivot spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of thedoor, said handle member exmoved to be released from the keeper whensaid handle member is shifted from said one position.

3. A door latch for use on either right hand or left hand doors, saidlatch comprising a bracket to be secured to a door, an oscillatingmember of substantially T-shape when viewed from one direction, saidoscillating member being connected to said bracket for oscillation abouta pivot substantially at the junction of the arms of said T-shapedmember and extending substantially parallel to the plane of the door,one of the arms of said T-shaped member extending from said 1 pivottoward the door and the other arms of said T-shaped member extendingapproximately parallel to the plane of the door, a laterally extendinglatch member on the first mentioned arm of said T-shaped member forcooperation with a keeper, said other two arms serving as handles foroscillating said member, and resilient means tending to maintain saidT-shaped member in predetermined normal position but permitting it to beforcibly oscillated from said position.

i. A right and left hand latch comprising a base, a handle memberpivotally connected to said base for oscillation in either directionfrom r a normal neutral position, about an axis substantially parallelto the plane of a door to which said base is applied, said handle memberhaving portions extending in opposite directions from said axis ofoscillation and forming convenient- 1y accessible arms so that a pull onone arm will tend to oscillate said handle member in one direction and apull on the other arm will tend to oscillate it in the oppositedirection, resilient means tending to maintain said handle member insaid normal neutral position, and a latch member operatively connectedto said handle member and extending laterally therefrom for cooperationwith a keeper.

5. A right and left hand latch comprising a base including a pair ofupstanding ears, a handle member pivotally connected to said base foroscillation about an axis passing through said ears near their outerends, said handle member having arms extending in opposite directionsfrom said axis so that apull on one arm will tend to oscillate saidhandle member in one direction and a pull on the other arm will tend tooscillate it in the opposite direction, resilient means tending tomaintain said handle member in an intermediate normal position fromwhich it may oscillate in either direction, abutment means on one ofsaid ears for contact with said handle member to limit the extent ofoscillation thereof, and a latch member lying substantially in a planebetween said pivotal axis and a door to which said base may be applied,said latch member being operatively connected to said handle member foroscillation therewith and extending laterally for cooperation with akeeper.

KENNETH BRAINERD.

